2015

Congratulations to the LITA UX Contest Winners

The results are in for LITA’s Contest: Great Library UX Ideas Under $100. Congratulations to winner Conny Liegl, Designer for Web, Graphics and UX at the Robert E. Kennedy Library at California Polytechnic State University for her submission entitled Guerilla Sketch-A-Thon. The LITA President’s Program Planning Team who ran the contest and reviewed the submissions loved how creative the project was and how it engaged users. From the sketches that accompanied the submission, and from looking at the before and after screenshots of the library website, it was clear the designers incorporated ideas from the student sketches. Conny won a personal one-year, online subscription to Library Technology Reports, generously donated by ALA Tech Source. She gets to have lunch with LITA President Rachel Vacek and the LITA President’s Program speaker and UX expert Lou Rosenfeld at ALA in San Francisco. She gets a free book generously donated from Rosenfeld Media….

2014

LITA Annual Report, 2014-2015

As we reflect on 2014-2015, it’s fair to say that LITA, despite some financial challenges, has had numerous successes and remains a thriving organization. Three areas – membership, education, and publications – bring in the most revenue for LITA. Of those, membership is the largest money generator. However, membership has been on a decline, a trend that’s been seen across the American Library Association (ALA) for the past decade. In response, the Board, committees, interest groups, and many and individuals have been focused on improving the member experience to retain current members and attract potential ones. With all the changes to the organization and leadership, LITA is on the road to becoming profitable again and will remain one of ALA’s most impactful divisions. Read more in the LITA Annual Report.

General information

Storify of LITA’s First UX Twitter Chat

LITA’s UX Interest Group did a fantastic job moderating the first ever UX Twitter Chat on May 15th. Moderators Amanda (@godaisies) and Haley (@hayleym1218) presented some deep questions and great conversations organically grew from there. There were over 220 tweets over the 1-hour chat. The next UX Twitter Chat will take place on Friday, May 29th, from 2-3 p.m. EDT, with moderator Bohyun (@bohyunkim). Use #litaux to participate. See this post for more info. Hope you can join us! Here’s the Storify of the conversation from May 15th.

2015

Events surrounding the LITA President’s Program at ALA Annual

As LITA President, one of my initiatives for my presidential year was to improve the member experience. I’ve been doing this by applying user experience concepts that I’m familiar with in my everyday job to effect change and improve the overall experience for current members and those who are on the fence about joining. The LITA member experience encompasses all aspects of a member’s interaction with the association, including its programming, educational opportunities, publications, events, and even other members. The LITA Board, Committees, and ad hoc Task Forces have been instrumental to making a positive difference in the experiences of our members. Therefore, it was important for me to pick someone for my President’s Program at ALA Annual that is considered to be an expert on user experience (UX). Accomplished information architect and author Louis Rosenfeld and LITA President Rachel Vacek will discuss the curious world of user experience at…

2015

Contest: Great Library UX Ideas Under $100

In case you haven’t noticed, user experience (UX) is all the buzz in libraries lately. If you aren’t already in the thick of a UX project now, you’re likely thinking of ways to start one. Accomplished information architect and author Lou Rosenfeld will discuss the curious world of user experience at the 2015 LITA President’s Program at the ALA Annual Conference in San Francisco, on Sunday, June 28th, 2015, from 3-4pm. He’ll tackle your questions with moderation from LITA President Rachel Vacek on the importance of UX research and what libraries can do to provide better experiences. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss! As we approach ALA Annual, the LITA President’s Program Planning Team invites you to share your library’s successful UX projects through the LITA President’s Program Contest: Great Library UX Ideas Under $100. Join us as we celebrate library innovation! Contest Description Have you done…

2015

Chat: UX Twitter Chat

Participate in LITA’s first ever UX Twitter Chat! When will this happen? Friday, May 15th, 2-3 p.m. EDT with moderators Amanda (@godaisies) and Haley (@hayleym1218), See Archive Friday, May 29th 2-3 p.m. EDT with moderator Bohyun (@bohyunkim), See Archive Friday, June 12th 2-3 p.m. EDT with moderator Whitni (@_whitni) Friday, June 19th 2-3 p.m. EDT with moderator Michael (@schoeyfield) Friday, July 10th 2-3 p.m. EDT with moderator Matt (@mreidsma) and Kyle (@gwydion9) Friday, July 24th 2-3 p.m. EDT with moderator Matt (@mreidsma) and Kyle (@gwydion9) Friday, August 7th 2-3 p.m. EDT Friday, August 21th 2-3 p.m. EDT with moderator Pete (@pfcoco) Friday, September 4th 2-3 p.m. EDT Friday, September 18th 2-3 p.m. EDT with moderator Amanda (@godaisies) What is the UX Twitter Chat? Share your challenges, successes, techniques, and workflows that you have developed to improve user experience (UX) at your library. Use #litaux to participate. Additionally, you can ask…

General information

Game Night at LITA Forum

Are you attending the 2014 LITA Forum in Albuquerque? Like board games? If so, come to the LITA Game Night! Thursday, November 6, 2014 8:00 – 11:00 pm Hotel Albuquerque, Room Alvarado C Games that people are bringing: King of Tokyo Cheaty Mages Cards Against Humanity One Night Ultimate Werewolf Star Fluxx Love Letter Seven Dragons Pandemic Coup Avalon Bang!: The Dice Game Carcassonne Uno Gloom Monty Python Fluxx and probably more… Hope you can come!

2014

Voice your ideas on LITA’s strategic goals

As mentioned in a previous post, LITA is beginning a series of informal discussions to let members voice their thoughts about the current strategic goals of LITA. These “kitchen table talks” will be lead by President Rachel Vacek and Vice-President Thomas Dowling. The kitchen table talks will discuss LITA’s strategic goals – collaboration and networking; education and sharing of expertise; advocacy; and infrastructure – and how meeting those goals will help LITA better serve you. The talks also align with ALA’s strategic planning process and efforts to communicate the association’s overarching goals of professional development, information policy, and advocacy. When ONLINE: Friday, September 19, 2014, 1:30-2:30 pm EDT ONLINE: Tuesday, October 14, 2014, 12:00-1:00 pm EDT IN-PERSON: Friday, November 7, 2014, 6:45-9:00 pm MDT at the LITA Forum in Albuquerque, NM We look forward to the conversations!

2014

LITA Kitchen Table Conversations

LITA is beginning a series of informal discussions to let members voice their thoughts about the current strategic goals of LITA. The first couple of these “kitchen table talks,” lead by President Rachel Vacek and Vice-President Thomas Dowling, will take place online in September and October (details to follow), and will be followed by in-person dinners at the 2014 LITA Forum in Albuquerque. The kitchen table talks will discuss LITA’s strategic goals – collaboration and networking; education and sharing of expertise; advocacy; and infrastructure – and how meeting those goals will help LITA better serve you. The talks also align with ALA’s strategic planning process and efforts to communicate the association’s overarching goals of professional development, information policy, and advocacy. So if you’re coming to Forum (and you really should!), come have a bowl of green chile stew with Rachel or Thomas and let your voice be heard.

General information

Interview with LITA President, Rachel Vacek

What are your responsibilities as LITA president? The president is the chief spokesperson for LITA and works closely with both LITA’s executive director and the board of directors in identifying and promoting information technology issues that are of interest to the association in all kinds of libraries, both nationally and internationally. The president leads the board and executive committee meetings, and works closely with the 20-plus committees that serve the association, such as membership development, education, web coordinating, program planning, publishing, and financial advisory, to name a few. The president also coordinates with the appointed representatives to groups and associations outside LITA, keeps the board informed, and is a proponent for advocacy of library technology issues. The president, in conjunction with the board, also determines the strategic direction for the association and is able to create task forces as needed to put initiatives in motion. What are your goals for…